Curtain rod pilot



June 16, 1931.

E. HART CURTAIN ROD PILOT Filed March 13, 1929 INVENTOR. 1747 225, 2%FfiBY x %%l7% TTORNEg Patented June 16, 1931 PATENT." OFFICE EARL E. HART,OF BERKIIEY, MICHIGAN cunrnm non" PILOT Application filed much 1a, 1929;Serial no. 34am.

This invention relates to curtain rod pilots, and more particularly tothat type of fixtures for guiding the curtain rod, as the same 15 thrustthrough the hfin of the-.window draperies or curtains. i oreparticularly, this pilot is adapted for use with curtain rods of thetubular type, or with rods which are formed of channel sections.

In slipping the window drapesor curtains over the curtain rods, it isfound that there is great danger of tearing the drapery, unlessexceedingly greatcare is exercised to prevent the end of the curtain rodfrom catching in the curtain material. This is especially true withrespect to the more expensive drapes of fine texture, which are moreliable to be caught by the exposed end of the curtain rod, and if torn,results in a much greater financial loss.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the difficultymentioned above, by providing a pilot which serves to guide thecurtainrod as the same is slipped into the hem of the window drapes.

Another object of the invention is to ruinimize the wear and tear onwindow drapes by providing a quickly detachable pilot, that can bereadily attached toicurtain rods of various sizes and shapes, and whichmakes it possible to quickly slip the curtain rods into the hem of thewindow drapes without snagging or tearing the same.

A further object or" the invention is to pro- 1 vide a pilot for curtainrods, which may be H5 economically manufactured and retailed at aminimum cost.

For a more detailed understanding of the invention. reference may be hadto the accompanying drawings, which illustrates one form which theinvention may assume, and in which: x

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a curtain rod, to which a pilot isattached, and whichform of construction showing a pilot constructed ofspring wire.

Fig. 5 is an end view thereof. Fig. 6 is a view of a further modifiedform of construction showing a pilot constructed with a shank of springwire and with a sheet metal head attached thereto.

Fig. 71 is an end viewthereot.

Fig. 8 is a view of a still further modified form of construction.

Fig. 9 is an end view of a pilot adapted. to be attached to a circularcurtain rod.

With the use of a pilot, that may be attached to the end of a. curtainrod, it is possible to very quickly slip the curtain rod into the hem ofa window drape or curtain without tearing the same, notwithstanding thecharacter or texture of the curtain material.- In hotels, hospitals andother public institutions, where the window drapes are frequent lychanged to be cleaned or renovated, the losses, due to the tearing ofthe window drapes are quite an item of expense. This pilot facilitatesthe hanging of window drapes, and is very useful in private homes aswell as in large institutions, such as hotels and hospitals, wherebecause of the frail char- 1 of telescoping tubular orchannel shapedsections of various sizes and shapes. 10 designates one of the curtainrod sections, which must be inserted into the hem 11 of a window drape12.

To facilitate the hanging of the window drapes, I have provided a pilotthat may be very quickly attached to a curtain rod. In Figs. 1 to 3inclusive a pilot structure is illustrated, which comprises a tubularsection 13, one end of which is reduced in size as at 14. This providesa shank which may be fitted into either of two difierent size curtainrods. An insert A is provided with a shank 15, which is adaptedtotelescope within the largest end of the shank 13, and is also providedwith an enlarged head 16 that is preferably permanently attached to thetubular section 13 by means of the small nails 17 or other suit- ,ablevfastening devices. The head 16 is de- I signed to have a body portionthat has a greater cross-sectional dimension than that ofthe tubularsection 13 or the curtain rod,

and is preferably rounded as at 16a. The shank is arranged to exactlyfit into the enlarged portion of the tubular section 13.

Thls insert may be constructed of wood as showmor of a metal casting ifso desired. It may be noted that the pilot can be also designed toslipover the end of the curtain rod, if so desired, instead of beingtele'-. scoped within the open end of the curtain r0d.

In F 4 and 5, the pilot is constructed entirely o a specially formedspring-wire, the

shank portion 20, being so constructed, that it may be sprung into theopen end of tubular or channel shaped curtain rods of various sizes andshapes. The wire is bent outwardly at 21 to form a shoulder, and thenreturn bent and outwardly curved as at 22 to form an arch or crown, thesaid crown portion being the first part of the pilot to enter into thehem of the curtain or window drape to spread the folds of the material,so that the end of the rod will not snag or catch the curtain material.The wire is then preferably formed into a semi-circular ring 23, that ispositioned at right angles to the arch portion 22. (See Fi 5. n igls. 6and 7 the pilot is constructed 'tain rods of various dimensions.

with a ank portion 30 of spring wire, so that it may be sprung into theopen end of tubular curtain rods of various sizes and shapes. Asillustrated in these figures, the head is constructed of a cup-shapedsheet metal buttonor head portion 31, which is provided with theinwardly extending flanges 32, that are arranged to be engaged orhookedby the outwardly extending wire tips 33 carried by the shank 30. Thehead may be substantially rectangular in shape, as shown in Fig. 7, orcircular as shown in Fig. 9, depending of course on the design of thecurtainvrod soldered or otherwise permanently secured thereto.Preferably a spring 43 is fitted within the shank 40, the free ends ofthe spring being arranged to bear on thelegs of the shank and exert alateral pressure to tightly engage the shank with the walls of thetubular or channel sha d curtain rod;

If desired, the outer ace of the shank portions of the pilot may beroughened or in-the end of a curtain rod.

gaged.

knurled, so as to increase the frictional en-" gagement of the shankwith the-inner face of the tubular curtain red. It is of courseunderstood, that all types of shanks, whether constructed of wire orsheet metal, may be so roughened or knurled. 1

It may be noted that the enlarged head of the pilot spreads the folds ofthe hem of the window drape or curtain, the hem, which is sewed into thedrape, forming a passage for receiving the curtain rod. It will thus beseen that, as the curtain rod is thrust through the hem of the curtain,the pilot thus guides the curtain rod and prevents the fabric of thecurtain material from being caught by the relatively sharp edge at theend of the curtain rod. Thus, a curtain with this attached pilot can bevery quickly thrust through the hem of the window drape without anydanger of tearing the same.

It may be further noted that this pilot is quickly detachably secured tothe curtain rod, the quickness with which the pilot can be attached toor removed from the curtain rod, and the ease with which'the curtain rodcan beslipped through the hem of the curtain, materially facilitates thehanging of window draperies. Such a device may thus be usefully employedeither in the home, or in hotels, hospitals or other. public institu 95tions, Where curtains or window drapes of fine material are frequentlychanged or renovated. 3 4

Although I have, illustrated but a few forms of. my invention, and havedescribed 106 in detail but a single application thereof; it will beapparent to those skilled in'the art, that various modifications andchanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or from the 195 scope of the appended claims.

" I claim: a.

1. A curtain rod pilot comprising a piece of wire bent to form a springcoil and having the extending ends return bent and pro- 110 vided without-turned terminal portions, a

sheet metal head of greater area than the end .of the curtain rod withwhich the device is adapted to be used, the sheet metal head beingprovided with an inturned flange and the terminal ends of the returnbent por tions bein adapted for engagement within the said ange, thereturn bent portions being adapted for yieldable engagement with- 2. Acurtain rod pilot comprising a piece of wire bent to form a spring coiland having the extending ends return bent and provided without-turned-terminal portions, a sheet metal head having an inturnedflange, the out-turned portions being adapted to be engaged within theinturned flange of the head and the return bent portions beingsubstantially in parallel relation when so eniii lee

3. A curt ein rod pilot comprising e. ieee of wire bent to form 95sgring coil and eving the extending endls t ereof extendin at an angleone to the other, each exteng end being return bent and providedl withan outwardly. extending hook portion end e sheet metal head having anmourned flene behind; which the hook portions ere edepted to be engagedin testimony whef I have o ed my signeture.

EARL *1.

